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Cisco Turns Routers Into Linux App Servers

Posted by Soulskill on from the tux-service dept.

symbolset writes "InternetNews is reporting that Cisco's new Application eXtension Platform turns several models of Cisco switches into Linux application servers. With certified libraries in C, Java and Perl, developers will be able to use a downloadable SDK to build their apps. The AXP server is just another module in a Cisco switch running Cisco's own derivation of a modern Linux distro (Kernel 2.6.x) specifically hardened to run on that particular hardware. Modules will include up to 1.4-GHz Intel Pentiums with 2 GB RAM and a 160 GB hard drive."

3 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Cue the beowulf cluster jokes by symbolset · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yes, it runs linux.

    Yes, I know they're switches, not routers.

    Now... anybody got any interesting applications for this?

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    1. Re:Cue the beowulf cluster jokes by arivanov · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The power of linux is mostly irrelevant here. OK, fine, a blade, and so what? It is more expensive than most 1U servers out there.

      Now the power of having an API into the Cisco hardware and software is a completely different story. That may be something that is really interesting. It will allow moving many tasks that are now exclusive to big closed and expensive OSS systems to the frontline where they really belong.

      By the way, this has been long coming. The first time I heard about this was circa 2003. Nice to see it finally making the light of day.

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  2. NSLU2 is cool by bcrowell · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Another Cisco gadget that's cool as a cheap linux box is the NSLU2. For $80, you get a pretty full-featured Linux system. It's the size of a paperback, and draws a negligible amount of power. I use mine as a music server. There's a very lively and helpful user community on IRC. There are various options for modifying or replacing the system it ships with to get a more general-purpose linux box, running off of an external flash drive.

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